In food processor with chopping blade, process together half of the lamb, the liver, water, onion, egg, salt, pepper, sugar, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg until well combined. Add the remaining half of the lamb and the oats; process until well combined.

To reheat for serving, wrap in foil to protect skin, place in a saucepan, cover with water and simmer for 1/2 hour per pound. (If bowl was used to steam it, put it back into a pan of water and simmer for same time.) To serve, cut skin and spoon out. May also be served battered and fried.

This is traditionally served as an accompaniment to other meats on a festive occasion, e.g., Robby Burn's Birthday. It may also be eaten as a dessert by pouring a few ounces of Drambuie over it. I have done this and enjoyed it.

1 sheep's pluck (stomach bag) 2 lb.. dry oatmeal 1 lb. suet 1 lb. lamb's liver 2 1/2 cups stock 1 large chopped onion 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper, Jamaica pepper and saltBoil liver and parboil the onion, then mince them together. Lightly brown the oatmeal. Mix all ingredients together. Fill the sheep's pluck with the mixture pressing it down to remove all the air, and sew up securely. Prick the haggis in several places so that it does not burst. Place haggis in boiling water and boil slowly for 4-5 hours. Serves approximately 12.

1 cleaned sheep or lamb's stomach bag 2 lb. dry oatmeal 1 lb chopped mutton suet 1 lb lamb's or deer's liver, boiled and minced 1 pint (2 cups) stock the heart and lights of the sheep, boiled and minced 1 large chopped onion 1/2 tsp.. each: cayenne pepper, Jamaica pepper, salt and pepperToast the oatmeal slowly until it is crisp, then mix all the ingredients (except the stomach bag) together, and add the stock. Fill the bag just over half full, press out the air and sew up securely. Have ready a large pot of boiling water, prick the haggis all over with a large needle so it does not burst and boil slowly for 4 to 5 hours. Serves 12.

Boil the lung, liver and heart until tender. While you are doing this, put the windpipe over the edge of the pot, draining into another receptacle. Chop the meat extremely fine; grate the liver. Mix the meats with the spices, onions, suet and oatmeal. Mix in the stock and then stuff into the paunch.

NOTE: the oatmeal will enlarge as it absorbs the liquid, so leave extra room. Sew the paunch up and then prick it with a needle. Boil in water for 3 hours.

To reheat, wrap in foil and bake in the over for around 2 hours; since it paunch could break, this will save the filling!

Stomach bag and pluck (heart, liver and lights of a sheep -- you can substitute a selection of organ meats) 2 onions, peeled 2 c pinhead oatmeal (Irish oatmeal) 1 2/3 c suet salt & pepper trussing needle and fine stringThoroughly wash the stomach bag in cold water. Turn it inside out and scald it, then scrape the surface with a knife. Soak it in cold salted water overnight. Next day remove the bag from the water and leave it on one side while preparing the filling. Wash the pluck. Put it into a pan, with the windpipe hanging over the side into a bowl, to let out any impurities. Cover the pluck with cold water, add 1 teaspoon of salt and bring the water to a boil. Skim the surface, then simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Meanwhile parboil the onions, drain, reserving the liquid, and chop them roughly. Also toast the pinhead oatmeal until golden brown. Drain the pluck when ready and cut away the windpipe and any excess gristle. Mince half the liver with all the heart and lights, then stir in the shredded suet, the toasted oatmeal and the onions. Season well with salt and pepper. Moisten with as much of the onion or pluck water as necessary to make the mixture soft. With the rough surface of the bag outside fill it just over half full, the oatmeal will swell during cooking, and sew the ends together with the trussing needle and fine string. Prick the bag in places with the needle. Place the haggis on and enamel plate and put it into a pan of boiling water. Cover the pan and cook for about 3 hours, adding more boiling water when necessary to keep the haggis covered.

1 sheep's stomach bag plus the pluck (lights, liver and heart) 1 lb Lean mutton 6 oz Fine oatmeal 8 oz Shredded suet 2 large Onions, choppedSalt and pepper about 1/4 pint beef stock. Soak the stomach bag in salted water overnight. Place the pluck (lights, liver and heart) in a saucepan with the windpipe hanging over the edge. Cover with water and boil for 1 1/2 hours. Impurities will pass out through the windpipe and it is advisable to place a basin under it to catch any drips. Drain well and cool. Remove the windpipe and any gristle or skin. Mince the liver and heart with the mutton. (Add some of the lights before mincing if you wish.) Toast the oatmeal gently until pale golden brown and crisp. Combine with minced mixture, suet and onion. Season well and add sufficient stock to moisten well. Pack into the stomach bag, filling it just over half-full as the stuffing will swell during cooking. Sew up the bag tightly or secure each end with string. Put an upturned plate in the base of a saucepan of boiling water, stand the haggis on this and bring back to the boil. Prick the haggis all over with a large needle to avoid bursting and boil steadily for 3 to 4 hours. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

What to do: If the butcher has not already cut apart and trimmed the heart, liver and lungs, do that first. It involves cutting the lungs off the windpipe, cutting the heart off the large blood vessels and cutting it open to rinse it, so that it can cook more quickly. The liver, too, has to be freed from the rest. Put them in a 4-quart pot with 2 to 3 cups water, bring to a boil, and simmer for about an hour and a half. Let it all cool, and keep the broth.

Run the liver and heart through the meat grinder. Take the lungs and cut out as much of the gristly part as you easily can, then run them through the grinder, too. Next, put the raw beef suet through the grinder. As you finish grinding each thing, put it in the big kettle. Peel, slice and chop the onions, then add them to the meat in the kettle. Add the salt and spices and mix.

The oatmeal comes next, and while it is customary to toast it or brown it very lightly in the oven or in a heavy bottomed pan on top of the stove, this is not absolutely necessary. When the oatmeal has been thoroughly mixed with the rest of it, add the 2 cups of the broth left from boiling the meat. See if when you take a handful, it sticks together. If it does, do not add the third cup of broth. If it is still crumbly and will not hold together very well, add the rest of the broth and mix thoroughly. Have the stomach smooth side out and stuff it with the mixture, about three-quarters full. Sew up the openings. Wrap it in cheesecloth, so that when it is cooked you can handle it.

Now, wash out the kettle and bring about 2 gallons of water to a boil in it. Put in the haggis and prick it all over with a skewer so that it does not burst. You will want to do this a couple of times early in the cooking span. Boil the haggis gently for about 4 or 5 hours. If you did not have any cheesecloth for wrapping the haggis, you can use a large clean dishtowel. Work it under with kitchen spoons to make a sling with which you can lift out the haggis in one piece. You will probably want to wear lined rubber gloves to protect your hands from the hot water while you lift it out with the wet cloth. (You put the dish cloth in the pot only after the haggis is done; you do not cook the towel with the haggis as you would the cheesecloth.)

Note: Even if the butcher has cleaned the stomach, you will probably want to go over it again. Turn the stomach shaggy side out and rinse. Rub it in a sinkful of cold water. Change the water and repeat as many times as necessary, until the water stays pretty clear and handling it does not produce much sediment as the water drains out of the sink.

1 sheep's (or lamb's) stomach, well rinsed and fresh 6 oz coarse or pinbead oatmeal (not porridge or rolled oats) 1 sheep's pluck (the liver, heart and lungs) 1 lb suet (the fat which surround the kidneys, can be lamb or beef) 1 lb onions salt and pepperThe Haggis, is quite simply a large boiling sausage stuffed with oatmeal and a variety of meats flavored with onion. The meats need not be mutton offal; There are recipes which replace it with lean mutton, and others which use venison offal. It can also be made without the stomach bag- cook the mixture very gently in a covered pan for 3 hours, stirring regularly so that it does not stick. The haggis mix can also be put in a pudding bowl with wax paper tied over it, and then steamed over boiling water for 3 hours. It will be excellent, but so authentically barbaric.

Serves 6.

TIME: If you have to do preparing 1-2 hours, plus 3 hours cooking. Preheat the oven to 400F. You need lots of elbow room and a large stewingpan. Tackle the stomach bag first. Turn it inside out; then scrub and scrape it in several changes of cold water. Scald it and leave it to soak for a few hours in water and salt. Put the oatmeal, well spread out on a baking tray, to toast golden brown in the oven for 10 minutes.

Wash the pluck well. Drain the liver and heart of its blood (the butcher will have most likely done this anyhow). If you cannot get the lungs, the kidney or tongue will do instead. Put the pluck into cold salted water, boil, then skim and simmer for 1 hour.

Drain the pluck and check it, removing the black bits and veins. Grate the liver and chop the rest of the meat. (You may not need all the liver half is usually enough) Chop the suet, and rub out the membrane scraps with well-floured hands. Mince the onions fine. Mix the meats, suet, and onions together, and spread them out on the table. Sprinkle the oatmeal on top. Season with salt and a heavy hand on the pepper mill. Here some add lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and a selection of herbs. The secret lies in the proportions, and you will soon establish your own preference.

Mix the whole lot together and stuff it into the stomach bag, or the sausage skin, that is available in some specialty stores in North American (just don't tell a Scot, you're doing this!). The stomach bag will be a little over half filled, but this is to allow room for the oatmeal to swell. Moisten with good stock- to make the mixture look juicy. Press out the air and sew the bag up.

Put the haggis on an upturned saucer in a pan of boiling water or stock. Heat gently; do not allow to reboil. Prick the bag with a needle when it first swells. Simmer for 3 hours if the haggis is a large one. When you want to reheat it, simmer it for an extra hour.

SUGGESTIONS: You can make a haggis mixture with liver, onions and oatmeal alone, using the pan or bowl method mentioned. If you cannot get the offal use mutton or stewing lamb. The suet should not be omitted, but can be replaced with well minced beef, or pork kidney.

Haggis also reheats beautifully -- just scoop it out of it's coverings into a saucepan, add a little extra water, and heat it up gently.

Recipe from The Scots Book of Lore & FolkloreFor this, the greatest of Scots savouries, is required: a sheep's bag, and the small bag, the pluck complete (lights, liver, and heart), beef suet, onions, and oatmeal, with seasoning of salt and black pepper. Thoroughly clean the bag, and soak in cold salted water for at least twelve hours. Turn the rough side out. Wash the pluck and the small bag, cover them with cold water, an set to boil with the windpipe hanging over the side of the pot to let out impurities. Boil for an hour and a half, or two hours. Then take out, and cut away all gristle and pipes. Half the liver only will be required, grate this, and mince the heart and lights. Make a mixture of this and half a pound of minced suet, a couple of finely chopped onions, and a large cupful of previously toasted oatmeal, all well moistened with some of the liquid in which the pluck was boiled. Put the mixture into the large bag, leaving plenty of room to swell. Sew the bag securely, and put it to boil in a large pot of hot water. Prick the bag all over with a darning needle as soon as it begins to swell, to prevent the possibility of its bursting. Boil steadily for three hours with the lid off the pot. Serve immediately.

A form of Haggis may be made without the sheep's bag, by putting the mixture into a buttered basin, and steaming it for about four hours.

Cover heart and liver with cold water, Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Chop heart and coarsely grate liver. Toast oatmeal in a skillet on top of the stove, stirring frequently, until golden. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Loosely pack mixture into stomach, about two-thirds full. Remember, oatmeal expands in cooking.

Press any air out of stomach and truss securely. Put into boiling water to cover. Simmer for 3 hours, uncovered, adding more water as needed to maintain water level. Prick stomach several times with a sharp needle when it begins to swell; this keeps the bag from bursting. Place on a hot platter, removing trussing strings. Serve with a spoon.

Preheat the oven to 190C (375F). To make the haggis, melt the margarine in a pan and add the oats, oatmeal and nuts. Cook over a gentle heat, stirring, for about 3 minutes until toasted and golden. Transfer to a bowl.

Melt remaining margarine, add the onion, mushrooms and carrot and cook gently for 5 minutes until softened. Stir into the toasted oat mixture with the remaining haggis ingredients. Season.

Snip out the center of the onions with kitchen scissors, leaving the skin and 3-4 outer layers intact. Stuff with haggis and bake for 40 minutes.

Some men are drawn to oceans, they cannot breathe unless the air is scented with a salty mist. Others are drawn to land that is flat, and the air is sullen and is leaden as August. My people were drawn to mountains- Earl Hamner Jr.

Delia Smith's is as good a recipe as any of them, Jason!!! She's English, but hey, some of the recipes you have posted are American....

AND, some of those are seriously WEIRD.... and not Scottish in origin.... One of them has bits of beef in it........... BLECH...

Personally, I always buy mine - MacSween's of Edinburgh (well, now their factory is in Loanhead, just outside the city!) are the finest commercially made haggis you can find... I mean, they sell it in Harrod's!!! Can't get a better endorsement than that. MacSween's also do a vegetarian haggis (the mind boggles!)

One of the first of the recipes you quote sounds just like an American meatloaf made with various innards of sheep.... BLECH, DOUBLE BLECH!!!

Local butchers make their own haggis and some of them are great - but most of the butchers also stock MacSween's.... why go to the bother of making your own when such a good haggis is available prepared and ready for boiling?

TracieE, I expect it smells about like cooking chittlins! PHEW! I had a homemade version at a Burn's Night supper once. It isn't too bad if you just eat it and don't think about WHAT you are eating. But I like chittlins too, so maybe I'm not a good judge!

If the 'casing' has been properly stuffed, all you should smell is a kinda oaty, oniony smell....

Haggis is not really an acquired taste - it is extremely appetising.... if served correctly! However, if purchased in a can and made by god knows who.... well, can't vouch for that kinda rubbish

I also think that any nation that is strong enough to eat a dish called chittlings or that other gourmet dish - loose meat (I think it is a regional speciality of one of the States)... shouldn't balk at haggis

On a cold day, nothing beats haggis, bashed neeps and chappit tatties.... In fact, as soon as the weather really 'turns'..... I shall be cooking it for dinner!

I posted a question asking what Haggis was, how to prepare it, what it is served with etc...Shadow suggested I come here to find out and boy did I find out ~grin~ I always said I would try anything once, but, well, will have to re-think that now ~grin~ I honestly don't think I could prepare it for the first time I saw a windpipe of an animal hanging over a pot in my kitchen I do believe I would lose my appetite LOL...Please do not think I am 'knocking' anyones 'tastes' in food or other culinary delights for that is not what I am saying..I am just saying I don't think I could eat it ~smile~ I have 'odd' tastes for various culinary delights and don't know of many people that indulge in calamari with roasted onions and tomatoes (garden fresh!) with hot peppers and mustard sooooo...~smile~ Happy indulgence in all our favorite foods! ~smile~

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I always knew one day I would travel this road;I just did not know that today would be the day....

'Each man is good in his sight. It is not necessary for eagles to be crows' --Sitting Bull